ISU Looks To Continue Winning Ways This Weekend

Jan. 20, 2010

PLAYERS TO WATCH
Ashleen Bracey - F
Already known for double-doubles, Bracey turned in the best performance of her career against Missouri State. She had career-highs of 26 points and 17 rebounds to lead the Redbirds past the Lady Bears. She wasted no time getting her 15th-career double-double, racking up 11 points and 11 rebounds in the first half.

STEPHANY NEPTUNE - F
Neptune joined Southern Illinois this season after transferring from Tusculum College and leads the Salukis in rebounding (11.3 rpg), assists (78), blocks (21) and steals (41). She is also third on the team in scoring (11.6 ppg). Neptune has been named MVC Newcomer of the Week three times this year, more than any other player.

AMY GALLAGHER - G
Gallagher leads Evansville in scoring (10.6 ppg) and assists (43) and ranks second in steals (21).

FASTBREAK POINTS
Illinois State is on a four-game winning streak, its longest of the season ... Stephany Neptune (12.4) and Ashleen Bracey (10.0) are the only players averaging double-digit rebounds in Valley play ... Illinois State hasn't been swept at home by Southern Illinois and Evansville since 2007.

REDBIRDS-SALUKIS SERIES
Illinois State leads the all-time series with Wichita State, 36-18. The series began in 1980 and the two teams have met twice annually since 1984. ISU posted a 16-2 record to start the series and have only lost consecutive games to the Shockers three times. Illinois State has won eight of the last 10 meeting, including four-straight by an average of 16.8 points per game.

REDBIRDS-PURPLE ACES SERIES
Illinois State leads the all-time series with Evansville, 19-12. The series began when Evansvilel joined the Valley in 1995, with ISU winning the first eight meetings. Evansville holds a slight 12-11 edge since then, winning four season series. The two teams met in the MVC Tournament for the first time last season, with the No. 9 seed Purple Aces upsetting the No. 1 seed Redbirds, 73-60.

LAST TIME OUT
Ashleen Bracey logged a career-best double-double with 26 points and 17 rebounds to lead ISU past Missouri State, 81-72. ISU scored 24 points in the paint and had 17 points off turnovers to build a 10-point lead in the first half. A 12-2 run in the second half put ISU up by 21, 62-41. Missouri State came right back with an 18-5 run to cut the deficit down to single-digits, 73-66, but could come no closer.

HIGH PERCENTAGE OFFENSE
Illinois State was held to 44 points and 34.5 percent field goal shooting in its last loss to Creighton. In the four games since then, ISU is averaging 73.8 points per game and shooting 48.8 percent as a team. ISU shot a season-high 53.1 percent against SIU Edwardsville and 50.0 percent against Indiana State. Three of ISU's top scorers are shooting above 50 percent in those games: Maggie Krick (18.0 ppg, 51.9%), Katie Broadway (12.5 ppg, 64.3%), Nicolle Lewis (9.5 ppg, 63.6%). The Redbirds are also shooting 40.9 percent (60-73) from three-point range and made a season-high 10 three-pointers at Indiana State.

LEEN ON A MISSION
Ashleen Bracey was held to two points and missed all 12 of her shots from the field against Illinois Nov. 24. Since then, Bracey is averaging 13.8 points and 7.9 rebounds per game, shooting 37.8 percent from the field. Bracey scored in double-figures in seven-consecutive games after the Illinois game, including four 18-point performances. She has three double-doubles in ISU's five Valley games, including a 26-point, 17-rebound performance against Missouri State.

ON POINT
Illinois State has utilized the talents of junior Amanda Clifton and freshman Alexis Jenkins to run the point this season. The duo has come on strong of late to lead the Redbird offense. Clifton has a 3.1 assist-to-turnover ratio in the last nine games, with 40 assists and 13 turnovers, and has tied her career-high with five assists in five of the last eight games. She scored a career-high 10 points at Wichita State. Jenkins also recorded a career-high with 11 points against the Shockers and made a career-best two three-pointers.

BRIGHT LIGHTS OF BROADWAY
Illinois State sophomore Katie Broadway has been putting on a show over the last four games, averaging 12.5 points per game and shooting 73.7 percent (14-19) from three-point range. She shot 14-for-55 from three-point range her entire freshman seasons. Broadway scored a career-high 20 points at Indiana State, making six three-pointers.

THREE, OH, IT'S A MAGIC NUMBER
Three is the magic number when predicting Redbird success this season. ISU is shooting 36.4 percent (64-176) from three-point range in its nine wins, as opposed to 27.7 percent (23-83) in its five losses. Perhaps more notably, Redbird opponents are averaging three more made three-pointers in wins (7.6) than in losses (4.5). ISU's loss to Ball State was the only one when the Redbirds made more three-pointers than their opponent. ISU is allowing opponents to make 5.7 threes per game and shoot 37.0 percent from long range, which ranks 307th in the nation. Aside from the game against Creighton, when the Bluejays made 10 three-pointers, ISU is doing a better job defending the three in Valley play, giving up just 2.7 threes per game.

GETTING OFF ON THE WRONG FOOT
Illinois State started out 2010 in a bad way with a 25-point loss to Creighton Jan. 2. ISU suffered its worst in Valley play since a 71-36 defeat at Bradley Jan. 6, 2002, and its worst home Valley loss since falling to Missouri State, 80-46, Jan. 20, 2000. The Redbirds suffered their worst loss since falling to Green Bay, 92-64, Dec. 22, 2006. ISU played 101 games between the 25-point losses, winning 14 games by 20 points during that stretch. In the 201 games that Robin Pingeton has coached Illinois State, the loss to Creighton was by the sixth-largest margin. ISU hadn't lost a home game by 25 points since falling to Illinois, 71-46, Dec. 1, 2002.

SENIOR LEADERSHIP
Coming into the season, Illinois State knew it would need to rely on the senior trio of Ashleen Bracey, Maggie Krick and Nicolle Lewis for success. The trio has stepped up big so far, making up the top-three Redbird scorers and rebounders; combining for 58.5 percent of the ISU scoring production and 48.9 percent of its rebounding. All three players rank in the top-25 in the Valley in scoring and rebounding.

KRICK GETS KRACKING
Every season throughout her career, Illinois State senior Maggie Krick has increased her production on the court. As a captain and Preseason All-Valley selection for the second-straight year, big things were expected of Krick in her final season and she has come through to exceed expectations. Krick is second in the Valley in scoring (17.4 ppg) and has scored in double-figures in 13 of the 15 games this year. A proficient three-point shooter, Krick has been taking the ball to the basket more this season, with 77.8 percent of her points coming from inside the three-point arc or the free throw line. She has also increased her rebounding to 5.5 per game. Krick is coming off a season-high 26 points at Indiana State.

Nicolle Lewis: QUEEN OF THE BLOCK
Redshirt senior Nicolle Lewis has accumulated some impressive defensive accolades in her career. She became Illinois State's career leader in blocks in just three years and is only the fifth player in Valley history to amass 200 blocks. Lewis leads the Redbirds with 24 blocks, ranking fourth in the Valley, and has had multiple blocks in nine games, including a season-high four against Drake. She currently ranks fourth on the Valley career-blocks list with 217.

TRANSFER FUNDS
Juniors Emily Hanley and Hannah Spanich have each spent a season on the sideline, watching the Redbirds' success after transferring from other schools. Both are on the court this year, and having a solid impact. Spanich is fourth on the team in scoring (7.1 ppg) and has scored in double-figures six times. She broke into the starting lineup against UW-Milwaukee, recording career-highs of four blocks and four steals. Hanley is third on the team in field goal percentage (.446), fourth on the team in rebounding (4.8 rpg) and fifth in scoring (6.4 ppg). She has scored a season-high 10 points twice and grabbed a career-high 10 rebounds against UIC.

FREEBIES, BUT GOODIES
ISU is cashing in its free throws early on in the season. The Redbirds lead the Valley and rank fourth in the nation in free throw percentage (.796) and have two players ranked in the top-10 in the conference. The Redbirds have shot lower than 70 percent from the line just once this season and are averaging 15.8 makes per contest. ISU shot 28-for-36 from the charity stripe against South Dakota State, the sixth-most free throws in school history and three shy of the Redbird Arena record. ISU led by just one point with 10:58 remaining in the game, but shot 17-for-21 from the free throw line the rest of the way, leading to a 12-point victory.

REDBIRDS WIN THE BATTLE OF THE MID-MAJORS
Illinois State and South Dakota State are two of the best programs in women's college basketball that many people don't know much about. Both teams have won 20 games in each of the last three seasons, posting a combined record of 155-42. In the second all-time meeting between the two schools Nov. 19, Illinois State came out on top, 79-67. ISU made 28 free throws and forced 25 turnovers to overcome a stellar shooting performance by the Jackrabbits (51.2% from the field, 47.8 % from three-point range). Before falling to the Redbirds, the Jackrabbits had only lost four games in the past two seasons, three of which were to top-10 teams Arizona State, Baylor and Maryland, and were receiving votes in both national polls.

REDBIRDS PICKED SECOND IN MVC PRESEASON POLL
Illinois State was projected to finish in second place in the annual Missouri Valley Conference Preseason Poll, conducted by the leagues coaches, sports information directors and media. Illinois State received 340 votes, falling just behind Creighton (393). The Bluejays (34) and Redbirds (6) were the only teams to receive first-place votes. ISU has been picked in the top-three in the preseason poll in each of the last three seasons. In three of the four previous years the Redbirds were picked second in the preseason poll, they wound up winning the MVC regular-season title.

THREE-PEAT
Illinois State completed a rare three-peat last season. The Redbirds won 20 games for the third-straight season for the third time in program history. The Redbirds won 20 games from 1982-85 and 1987-90. ISU has also completed back-to-back 25-win seasons for the first time in program history.

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